Holding steady.
Popularity of Herley since 1915
Babies named Herley per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1922, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Herley's real moment was 1937.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 31 |
| 1920s | 51 |
| 1930s | 34 |
| 1940s | 25 |
| 1950s | 8 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Herley is a rare given name that first appeared in U.S. Social Security data in 1915, but it has never entered the top 1,000 names. Its peak usage came in 1937, when a small number of newborns received the name, mostly in the 1930s. Since then, its use has been stable but extremely infrequent, with no recorded instances in recent years up to 2025. The name is likely an adaptation of an English surname, possibly Harley or Hurley, and it has no strong ties to any region of the United States. For parents seeking an uncommon name with a classic surname feel, Herley offers a distinctive option with a modest history.
Herley is likely a variant of the English surname Harley, which derives from a place name meaning 'hare meadow' in Old English. It may also be a variant of Hurley, from a place name meaning 'river bend by a hill.' As a given name, Herley appears sporadically in early 20th-century U.S. records, possibly as a respelling or a surname used as a first name. Its use has remained rare, never achieving widespread popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Herley
Names that share Herley's style, for a brother or sister.
